The Canadian Judicial Council (CJC) recently decided to not further investigate complaints against Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Vic Toews despite federal Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson’s finding earlier this year that the former federal justice minister violated conflict of interest rules after he left politics.

University of Ottawa adjunct law professor Duff ConacherThe CJC’s review of the complaints reveals a problem with the limited way in which the council can censure federally appointed members of the judiciary, says a University of Ottawa adjunct law professor...